Lucian of Samosata, Cataplus, Austin Morris Harmon (Translator), 18

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CHARON

Hi, fellow! Where are you going so fast? The boat is fullalready. Wait there till to-morrow; we'll set you across first thing in the morning.

MICYLLUS

You are committing a misdemeanour, Charon, in leaving behind you a dead man who is already high. No fear, I'll have you up before Rhadamanthus for breaking the law. Oh, Lord! What hard luck! They are sailing already, “and I'll be left behind here all alone.”¹ But why not swim across in their wake? I’m not afraid of giving out and drowning, seeing that I’m already dead! Besides, I haven’t an obol to pay my passage.

CLOTHO

What’s this? Wait, Micyllus; you mustn’t cross that way.

MICYLLUS

See here, perhaps I'll beat you to the shore.

CLOTHO

No, no! Come, let’s row up and take him in. Hermes, lend a hand to pull him in.

Cataplus. Lucian of Samosata. Austin Morris Harmon (Translator). United States. Perseus 5.0.

Funding provided by National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

The Downward Journey, or the Tyrant (English) (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.)

Editions (1)

Κατάπλους ἢ Τύραννος Perseus (Lucian, Vol. 2. Harmon, Austin Morris, editor. London: William Heinemann, Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1915.) — 18 focus

Χάρων

οὗτος, ποῖ φέρῃ; πλῆρες ἤδη τὸ σκάφος· αὐτοῦ περίμενε εἰς αὔριον· ἕωθέν σε διαπορθμεύσομεν.

Μίκυλλος

ἀδικεῖς, ὦ Χάρων, ἕωλον ἤδη νεκρὸν ἀπολιμπάνων· ἀμέλει γράψομαί σε παρανόμων ἐπὶ τοῦ Ῥαδαμάνθυος. οἴμοι τῶν κακῶν· ἤδη πλέουσιν· ἐγὼ δὲ μόνος ἐνταῦθα περιλελείψομαι. καίτοι τί οὐ διανήχομαι κατʼ αὐτούς; οὐ γὰρ δέδια μὴ ἀπαγορεύσας ἀποπνιγῶ ἤδη τεθνεώς· ἄλλως τε οὐδὲ τὸν ὀβολὸν ἔχω τὰ πορθμεῖα καταβαλεῖν.

Κλωθώ

τί τοῦτο; περίμεινον, ὦ Μίκυλλε· οὐ θέμις οὕτω σε διελθεῖν.

Μίκυλλος

καὶ μὴν ἴσως ὑμῶν καὶ προκαταχθήσομαι.

Translations (2)

Voyage To the Lower World Perseus (The Works of Lucian of Samosata, Vol. 1. Fowler, Henry Watson and Fowler, Francis George, translators. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.) — 18 focus

Charon

Now, now! What are you doing here? The boat is full, You wait till to-morrow. We can bring you across in the morning.

Micyllus

What right have you to leave me behind,—a shade of twenty-four hours’ standing? I tell you what it is, I shall have you up before Rhadamanthus. A plague on it, she’s moving! And here I shall be left all by myself. Stay, though: why not swim across in their wake? No matter if I get tired; a dead man will scarcely be drowned. Not to mention that I have not a penny to pay my fare.

Clotho

Micyllus! Stop! You must not come across that way; Heaven forbid!

Micyllus

Ha, ha! I shall get there first, and I shouldn’t wonder.

Clotho

This will never do, We must get to him, and pick him up.... Hermes, give him a hand up.

The Ferry Perseus (Selections from Lucian. Smith, Emily James, translator. New York; Harper Brothers, 1892.) — 18 focus

Charon

My friend, where are you going? The skiff is full already. Wait here till to-morrow. We will ferry you over early in the morning.

Mikyllos

It is a crime, Charon, for you to leave a dead man behind who is stale already. I will indict you before Rhadamanthos for illegal practices. Alas, alack! they are off already, and I shall be left here alone. But why not swim after them? I am not afraid of giving out and drowning, because I am dead already. Moreover, I have not even got the obol to pay the ferryman.

Klotho

What are you doing? Stay where you are, Mikyllos. It is not permitted to cross in that fashion.

Mikyllos

And yet I may possibly get into port before you do.

Klotho

Heaven forbid. Come up with him and catch him. You, Hermes, help pull him in.

Notes on the current edition

The Downward Journey, or the Tyrant

1. The words form a trimeter in the Greek, perhaps a line of comedy.

Lucian of Samosata Cataplus 18

Austin Morris Harmon (Translator)

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

CHARON

Hi, fellow! Where are you going so fast? The boat is fullalready. Wait there till to-morrow; we'll set you across first thing in the morning.

CLOTHO

What’s this? Wait, Micyllus; you mustn’t cross that way.

MICYLLUS

See here, perhaps I'll beat you to the shore.

CLOTHO

No, no! Come, let’s row up and take him in. Hermes, lend a hand to pull him in.

Current edition Perseus

Χάρων

οὗτος, ποῖ φέρῃ; πλῆρες ἤδη τὸ σκάφος· αὐτοῦ περίμενε εἰς αὔριον· ἕωθέν σε διαπορθμεύσομεν.

Κλωθώ

τί τοῦτο; περίμεινον, ὦ Μίκυλλε· οὐ θέμις οὕτω σε διελθεῖν.

Μίκυλλος

καὶ μὴν ἴσως ὑμῶν καὶ προκαταχθήσομαι.

Charon

Now, now! What are you doing here? The boat is full, You wait till to-morrow. We can bring you across in the morning.

Clotho

Micyllus! Stop! You must not come across that way; Heaven forbid!

Micyllus

Ha, ha! I shall get there first, and I shouldn’t wonder.

Clotho

This will never do, We must get to him, and pick him up.... Hermes, give him a hand up.

Charon

My friend, where are you going? The skiff is full already. Wait here till to-morrow. We will ferry you over early in the morning.

Klotho

What are you doing? Stay where you are, Mikyllos. It is not permitted to cross in that fashion.

Mikyllos

And yet I may possibly get into port before you do.

Klotho

Heaven forbid. Come up with him and catch him. You, Hermes, help pull him in.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

CHARON Hi, fellow! Where are you going so fast? The boat is fullalready. Wait there till to-morrow; we'll set you across first thing in the morning.

CLOTHO What’s this? Wait, Micyllus; you mustn’t cross that way.

MICYLLUS See here, perhaps I'll beat you to the shore.

CLOTHO No, no! Come, let’s row up and take him in. Hermes, lend a hand to pull him in.

Current edition Perseus

Χάρων οὗτος, ποῖ φέρῃ; πλῆρες ἤδη τὸ σκάφος· αὐτοῦ περίμενε εἰς αὔριον· ἕωθέν σε διαπορθμεύσομεν.

Κλωθώ τί τοῦτο; περίμεινον, ὦ Μίκυλλε· οὐ θέμις οὕτω σε διελθεῖν.

Μίκυλλος καὶ μὴν ἴσως ὑμῶν καὶ προκαταχθήσομαι.

Charon Now, now! What are you doing here? The boat is full, You wait till to-morrow. We can bring you across in the morning.

Clotho Micyllus! Stop! You must not come across that way; Heaven forbid!

Micyllus Ha, ha! I shall get there first, and I shouldn’t wonder.

Clotho This will never do, We must get to him, and pick him up.... Hermes, give him a hand up.

Charon My friend, where are you going? The skiff is full already. Wait here till to-morrow. We will ferry you over early in the morning.

Klotho What are you doing? Stay where you are, Mikyllos. It is not permitted to cross in that fashion.

Mikyllos And yet I may possibly get into port before you do.

Klotho Heaven forbid. Come up with him and catch him. You, Hermes, help pull him in.

Notes on the current edition

Stable identifiers

CHARON

Hi, fellow! Where are you going so fast? The boat is fullalready. Wait there till to-morrow; we'll set you across first thing in the morning.

CLOTHO

What’s this? Wait, Micyllus; you mustn’t cross that way.

MICYLLUS

See here, perhaps I'll beat you to the shore.

CLOTHO

No, no! Come, let’s row up and take him in. Hermes, lend a hand to pull him in.

Χάρων

οὗτος, ποῖ φέρῃ; πλῆρες ἤδη τὸ σκάφος· αὐτοῦ περίμενε εἰς αὔριον· ἕωθέν σε διαπορθμεύσομεν.

Κλωθώ

τί τοῦτο; περίμεινον, ὦ Μίκυλλε· οὐ θέμις οὕτω σε διελθεῖν.

Μίκυλλος

καὶ μὴν ἴσως ὑμῶν καὶ προκαταχθήσομαι.

Charon

Now, now! What are you doing here? The boat is full, You wait till to-morrow. We can bring you across in the morning.

Clotho

Micyllus! Stop! You must not come across that way; Heaven forbid!

Micyllus

Ha, ha! I shall get there first, and I shouldn’t wonder.

Clotho

This will never do, We must get to him, and pick him up.... Hermes, give him a hand up.

Charon

My friend, where are you going? The skiff is full already. Wait here till to-morrow. We will ferry you over early in the morning.

Klotho

What are you doing? Stay where you are, Mikyllos. It is not permitted to cross in that fashion.

Mikyllos

And yet I may possibly get into port before you do.

Klotho

Heaven forbid. Come up with him and catch him. You, Hermes, help pull him in.